Turn Our Istanbul Photo Shoot into Your Next Vacation

Our October cover was shot in Istanbul's Sultanahmet neighborhood—here's how you can recreate the scene at the Four Seasons Sultanahmet.

The Backstory

Compared with the bustling neighborhoods that make up much of modern Istanbul (see "City of the Senses"), Sultanahmet (where this month’s cover was shot) is decidedly old-school, with iconic Greek and Byzantine architecture that dates back some 35 centuries. History buffs will delight in the dense concentration of sights, including the Blue Mosque, the Hippodrome (a third-century Roman chariot-racing stadium), and Topkapı Palace (the opulent residence of Ottoman sultans until the mid-1800s).

How to Get there

Sultanahmet is a 20-minute (and roughly $20) cab ride from Atatürk airport. The poshest digs on this side of town are the Four Seasons Sultanahmet, a short stroll to the Old City’s star attractions. If you’re staying across the Golden Horn in Beyoğlu, hop on a tram in Karaköy or Tophane (tickets are $1). Or take the even more scenic route—a 40-minute walk across the Galata Bridge, passing the Spice Bazaar and the gorgeously tiled Yeni Camii mosque.

The 360

Our cover girl is perched on the rooftop terrace of the Four Seasons Sultanahmet, a neoclassical beauty with a dark history (it used to be a political prison) that just happens to have one of the finest views of Hagia Sophia. The Aya lounge, which just reopened on this terrace last month, makes a great spot to drink in the view over a glass of çay (strong black tea), but if you want this vista all to yourself—and who could blame you?—book the St. Sophia Suite, with its three verandas directly opposite the hotel’s most famous neighbor (90-212-402-3000; doubles from $640).

_Cover image: Hagia Sophia, as seen from the Four Seasons Sultanahmet. Her dress by Valentino, clutch by Tiffany & Co., earrings by Swarovski, ring by R.J. Graziano, and shoes by Christian Louboutin. Hair and makeup by Osman Nuri Buruk. Styled by Ece Özel. Photograph by Julian Broad.

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Courtesy Four Seasons

Straight view of the hotel facade with the Hagia Sophia in background (taken from rooftop)